DPP Secures Additional 15-Year Jail Terms for Three Kamiti Escape Terror Convicts

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has secured additional prison sentences for three convicts who escaped Kamiti Maximum Security Prison while still serving their sentences.

According to the DPP, Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiage sentenced Musharaf Abdala, Mohamed Ali Abikar, and Joseph Juma Odhiambo after finding them guilty of committing a terrorist act contrary to Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

The prosecution was led by James Machirah, Kennedy Amwayi, Anthony Musyoka, Kelvin Kamau, and Ben Owang, who successfully argued that the escape posed a significant threat to national security.

The Kahawa Law courts ruled that the three knowingly escaped from prison between the night of November 14 and the morning of November 15, 2021, in circumstances that prejudiced national security.

They Walked Informal Routes

According to the prosecution, the trio remained together after fleeing the prison, travelling together by motorcycle and public service vehicles from Nairobi to Kitui before they proceeded to Endao.

They later walked through informal routes to avoid detection because they did not have identification documents.

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In his judgment, Magistrate Kiage said their decision to remain together after the escape demonstrated a common intention to evade recapture.

“If their only intention was to flee and evade recapture, it would have made more sense to split up and go in different directions. This would have reduced their chances of detection,” the court ruled.

The sentences will take effect after the convicts complete their existing jail terms, except for Abdala, whose 15-year sentence will run from the date he was acquitted by the High Court in a separate case.

Previous Convictions

Odhiambo was already serving a 15-year sentence after being convicted in Mandera for offences related to travelling to a terrorist-designated country, failing to report his departure and leaving Kenya through an undesignated border point.

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Abikar is serving a cumulative 41-year sentence following his conviction over the 2015 Garissa University terror attack, which claimed 148 lives.

Abdala had previously been sentenced to 22 years in prison before the High Court acquitted him on appeal in that earlier case.

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The escaped convicts. PHOTO/DPP